Angular-rate detecting apparatus
First Claim
1. An angular-rate detecting apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate;
a plurality of mass portions juxtaposed to one another on the substrate in a predetermined direction;
a support beam connecting the plurality of mass portions so as to enable each of the plurality of mass portions to be vibratable in a vibration direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction along which the plurality of mass portions are juxtaposed to one another;
a fixing portion fixing the support beam to the substrate;
vibration generators vibrating two of the plurality of mass portions adjacent to each other in opposite phases in the vibration direction; and
an angular rate detector detecting a displacement of a portion of the mass portions as an angular rate, displaced in a detection direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction in a state in which the mass portions are vibrating;
whereinthe vibration generators exert drive forces on the two mass portions adjacent to each other in opposite directions to each other; and
among the plurality of mass portions, a ratio among the magnitudes of drive forces exerted on the respective mass portions by the vibration generators is substantially the same as a ratio among the products of masses and driven amplitudes of the corresponding mass portions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An Angular-rate detecting apparatus includes four mass portions connected by at least one support beam, and the mass portions have respective individual vibration generators disposed thereon. The individual vibration generators excite the normal vibration mode by vibrating pairs of the mass portions adjacent to each other in opposite phases. Thus, the mass portions are forcibly vibrated in the normal vibration mode. Angular rate detectors detect displacements of inner frames of central mass portions as an angular rate about an axis perpendicular to a detection direction and also to a vibration direction when the inner frames are displaced in the detection direction while vibrating in the vibration direction.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An angular-rate detecting apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of mass portions juxtaposed to one another on the substrate in a predetermined direction; a support beam connecting the plurality of mass portions so as to enable each of the plurality of mass portions to be vibratable in a vibration direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction along which the plurality of mass portions are juxtaposed to one another; a fixing portion fixing the support beam to the substrate; vibration generators vibrating two of the plurality of mass portions adjacent to each other in opposite phases in the vibration direction; and an angular rate detector detecting a displacement of a portion of the mass portions as an angular rate, displaced in a detection direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction in a state in which the mass portions are vibrating;
whereinthe vibration generators exert drive forces on the two mass portions adjacent to each other in opposite directions to each other; and among the plurality of mass portions, a ratio among the magnitudes of drive forces exerted on the respective mass portions by the vibration generators is substantially the same as a ratio among the products of masses and driven amplitudes of the corresponding mass portions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An angular-rate detecting apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of mass portions juxtaposed to one another on the substrate in a predetermined direction; a support beam connecting the plurality of mass portions so as to enable each of the plurality of mass portion to be vibratable in a vibration direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction along which the plurality of mass portions are juxtaposed to one another; a fixing portion fixing the support beam to the substrate; and an angular rate detector detecting displacement of a portion of the plurality of mass portions as an angular rate, displaced in a detection direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction in a state in which the mass portions are vibrating;
whereinat least one of the plurality of mass portions has a vibration generator disposed thereon, and another one of the plurality of mass portions adjacent to said at least one of the plurality of mass portions has a vibration monitor disposed thereon, monitoring vibrating state thereof and outputting monitor signal for controlling the vibration generator such that mass portions adjacent to each other vibrate in opposite phases in the vibration direction; the vibration monitor is configured such that a normal monitor signal is output when said at least one of the plurality of mass portions and said another one of the plurality of mass portions vibrate in opposite phases; and a control circuit is disposed between the vibration monitor and the vibration generator, the control circuit is configured such that each adiacent pair of the plurality of mass portions is caused to vibrate in opposite phases in a resonant state by the vibration generator when the normal monitor signal is input to the control circuit from the vibration monitor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification